Low back pressure plastic conveyor

Claim 1

In a modular plastic conveyor belt including a series of connected elongated molded plastic belt module rows each including one or more belt modules in the row, the belt module rows being connected by rods extending transversely to the length of the conveyor belt, each belt module row having a plurality of first spaced projections generally in a pattern of regular spacings extending in one direction from the row and a plurality of second spaced projections generally in a pattern of regular spacings extending an opposite direction from the row, the first projections, the first and second projections of serially adjacent module rows being longitudinally overlapping and juxtaposed when the modules are connected serially in the conveyor belt by the connecting rods extending through transverse openings in the projections, the improvement comprising, at least some of the plastic modules having spaces in the positions of certain of the projections, so that in the assembled conveyor belt made up of plastic modules with first and second projections overlapping and juxtaposed, the connecting rod extends at said spaces between projections of one module row without passing through a projection of an adjacent module row, such that a backline pressure reducing roller can be positioned on the connecting rod between said projections of the one module row if desired.

Claim 19

A method for forming a plastic conveyor belt having rollers for reducing backline pressure, comprising, providing a series of plastic conveyor belt modules each having a plurality of first spaced projections extending in a row in one direction from the module and a plurality of second spaced projections extending in a row from an opposite direction from the module, such that the modules can be assembled the first and second projections of serially adjacent modules longitudinally overlapping and juxtaposed when the modules are connected serially in a conveyor belt by connecting rods extending through transverse openings in the projections, removing one or more projections from one or more rows of first projections or second projections of the modules to form a space or void where said projections have been removed, and assembling the modules by connecting them serially with connecting rods which extend through the transverse openings, and with a back pressure reducing roller positioned directly on the connecting rod at the locations of the spaces or voids, thereby producing a low backline pressure conveyor.

Claim 20

A method for forming a plastic conveyor belt having rollers for reducing backline pressure, comprising, providing a series of plastic conveyor belt modules each having a plurality of first spaced projections extending in a row in one direction from the module and a plurality of second spaced projections extending in a row from an opposite direction from the module, such that the modules can be assembled the first and second projections of serially adjacent modules longitudinally overlapping and juxtaposed when the modules are connected serially in a conveyor belt by connecting rods extending through transverse openings in the projections, removing one or more projections from one or more rows of first projections or second projections of the modules to form a space or void where said projections have been removed, and assembling the modules by connecting them serially with connecting rods which extend through the transverse openings, and with a back pressure reducing roller positioned directly on the connecting rod at the locations of the spaces or voids, thereby producing a low backline pressure conveyor.